Portuguese Perpetual Calendar 42mm vs. 44mm

I am interested in purchasing a an IWC Portuguese Perpetual Calendar Rose Gold with Black Dial. The one described in the IWC website is listed as being 44.2mm. I have found one that is listed as being 42mm. Is it an older model? Any help or information would be appreciated.

The watch grew to 44.2mm recently. The 42mm model is an older model and as you describe is rose gold whereas today its 44.2mm brother uses red gold, the difference being that the percentage of copper alloy in the gold is greater in the red gold. But they are both 18 carat. Just for your info, I saw two Portofino automatics in a dealership recently, the old and new. There is a difference in the colour of gold, a difference in the size and an appreciable difference in price.

here u go, not too great pics though.

502213 @ 42.3 mm:

502306 @ 44.2 mm:

Thanks for the help. I assume that the movements are the same.

If there is a difference and I do not think there is, then the difference is nothing to worry about. If this is going to be your first IWC then it's one heck of a first buy. Also it's compulsory to post photos of such a beauty. Be very careful setting the calendar, you can only go forward and not back, if you get ahead you either wait for time to catch up or it will have to be reset and neither you or your dealer can do that.

Hi Hma2001,

Both are movement calibre 51613 I believe - based on an old IWC catalog still found online which I saw, as well as the official site information for the 502306, although I note Ardoise's post of the specs of his 5022 denote calibre 51610.

In any case, I doubt there is any material difference in the movement significant enough to affect a buying decision (if based on the movement alone).

Hope this helps, and let us know of your decision. You can't go wrong in my opinion with a PPC.

HMA2001,

When I saw your post I was thinking somebody had found my old post from this summer, as I started my IWC adventure and my membership here with the exact same question you have :o)

You can find my old post with the great responses I got HERE.

My instant love was the silver faced one, 502213. I ended up buying it and even though I toiled with the 42 vs. 44mm question for quite some time (as I do like larger watches) I have to say that I now know I made the right decision. Sometimes you just have to trust that instant feeling.

The differences I found between the two similarly looking versions were these:

• The earliest versions of the 5022 and 5021 had the 51610 movement, and although I am not sure when IWC changed I know that the 2008 and 2009 catalogues both show the movement to be the same 51613 as the 5023.
• Rose gold vs. red gold as described by Greg.
• The face of the watches have the same size, it is only the bezel on the 5023 which is approx. 1 mm "thicker".
• Due to the thicker bezel it also seems to cover more of the watch mechanism on the back, in other words the bezel is thicker there as well.
• Since you are looking at the black or ardoise dial version the stars and the sky in the moonphase display may be the same. On my silver faced one it wasn't. The 5022 has a special dark blue quartz stone that sparkles while the 5023 one has a more plain blue sky with larger gold stars and no sparkle.
• My 5022 came with a light brown alligator strap while the 5023 comes with a dark brown strap - again this may be the same dark brown for both the black/ardoise faced ones.

You will have your resons to choose one over the other, and price may be one of them of course. What did it for me was that first love with the thin bezel and the light brown strap.

The great thing is that whatever you decide, you cannot go wrong :o)

Good luck and be sure to post pictures - hereyou can see some of mine.

Thanks for the additional information.

Thanks to all. I found a watch (new version) and have sent a bid to them. Waiting on a reply. Will post photos if I get it.

I have to say the Port Perpetual is the ultimate "real world" IWC i.e. excluding the ultra-high-end stuff.

In some ways it's all the watch you'll ever need. (Until another IWC takes your fancy)

I'll have one in the white gold and ardoise, please!

I remembered one more difference. The 5022 has the old style buckle with the letters IWC on it, the 5023 has the new one with the round IWC Probus Scafusia coin on it.
Just thought I'd let you know before the decision is made :-)